Randy Rhoads put down a legacy that is eternal in the history of metal.
RANDY RHOADS whose knack for melodic song writing and stunning neo-classical lead guitar style revolutionized metal in 1980s, died tragically thirty years ago today. Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) died in a plane crash while on tour with OZZY OSBOURNE, but he has left an indelible mark on generations of musicians to follow.
Rhoads who had been an early member of QUIET RIOT shot to fame when he auditioned for the guitar spot in OZZY OSBOURNE’s band THE BILZZARD OF OZZ. The combination of the soft spoken, but immensely talented Rhoads and Ozzy who felt he had to prove himself to the world after his dismissal from BLACK SABBATH was potent and changed the face of music. Rhoads is always remembered as a terrific lead guitarist and was often compared to the best players of his day like EDDIE VAN HALEN. However, equally important as Randy’s impact as a soloist was his legacy as a songwriter, his use of classical modes and his widespread use of major scales in rock and metal that had predominantly been full of brooding minor keys and old-style pentatonic blues riffs up until that point. He also helped innovate an popularize several styles and looks of guitars with his polka-dot Jackson Flying V’s. Although he is best remembered for songs like OZZY hits “Crazy Train”, “Mr. Crowley” “Suicide Solution”, “Over The Mountain” and “Flying High Again” most of his output, however brief is excellent and worthy of repeat listens.
Popular guitar players who have been influenced by Rhoads such as the late DIMEBAG DARRELL, ZAKK WYLDE, Phil Demmel of MACHINE HEAD and a host of metal lead players from the 80s and 90s used to and still do sing his praises. Although his music is among some of the most popular in the genre, you can still hear examples of his reach in many modern bands like ARCH ENEMY, REVOCATION, ANIMALS AS LEADERS, MASTODON, OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, JOB FOR A COWBOY, THE AGONIST, CHILDREN OF BODOM, WARBRINGER, ICEDEARTH, DECAPITATED, ALL SHALL PERISH and THE FACELESS among many, many others.
Our intrepid metal scribe Sean “That Black Metal Dude” Genovese caught up with Bob Meadows of A LIFE ONCE LOST recently. Sean caught the band live a few weeks back in Allston, MA at Great Scott, where the band was on tour with REVOCATION and KEN MODE. ALOL is out on the road supporting their new album Ecstatic Trance, (Season of Mist)which you should all go get asap!
MA: When you guys first started out in 1999, where did you guys expect to be about ten years from that point?
BM: I guess I just expected to be more on a different train of life, y’know? You don’t really expect ever to start a band with a bunch of kids and then eventually it kind of unravels and unfolds into something 13 years later. It’s just kind of a surreal experience in a way. But man, it’s pretty awesome, I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. Actually, a lot of other friends of mine are moving along, moving past, and kind of starting these new lives and here I am, still chasing down this thing, this dream that I call music. It’s pretty wild, man, I never really expected it all.
MA: Right. So what are some of you guys’ main influences, and what are some artists or bands might be surprised shaped your sound?
BM: You can hear the BLACK SABBATH and the MESHUGGAH influence for sure, but in (the) Ecstatic Trance record there’s definitely other influences we’re pulling from, anywhere from FELA KUTI, and TI PEYI A, and ORCHESTRA DE POLYRHYTHMO from North Africa, to the German Krautrock scene, bands like CAN, KRAFTWERK, AMAN DUUL, things like KING CRIMSON. Anything within that little hiatus that we took where we ended up exploring a lot of different things in music. It’s always been an interest of mine with music; the more obscure, the more different and weird it was, the better it was for me, that’s kinda what I got off on. Being able to pull from those influences, and finally being able to let it hang on my sleeve, it’s a pretty cool thing, it’s definitely very unique, and I definitely think we’ve developed a unique sound with the Ecstatic Trance record.
Bob Meadows of A LIFE ONCE LOST.
MA: Let me ask you something that I’m sure most people probably ask you; What are your attitudes on the “djent” craze, as many cite you guys as innovators of poly-rhythms in Metalcore and related genres. Have you any love for bands like PERIPHERY and AFTER THE BURIAL that are expanding on that formula?
BM: I don’t have any feelings towards it. I’m not really interested in that music. When I listen to music, I kinda wanna be floored. When I was younger, when I was 19, that kind of music would be more appealing to me. But since I’m older now, I find more satisfaction in something that’s more soothing, and it’s not really soothing. I hear it all the time, people referring to us as a band in that scene, and I agree to a certain extent, but there were bands before us that were doing it, and there are bands that are still doing it, and those bands deserve more of the credit. When we started doing it, we didn’t do it to fit into a “scene”, like these other bands, these younger kids are doing, but the youth of America is a very impressionable group of individuals, and they feel the need to be able to fit in somewhere. Maybe this new “djent” thing is the new Deathcore, the new Pop Punk or the new whatever. It is what it is, it’s popular, those dudes can play. Misha’s a cool dude; I don’t like his band, but I think he’s a cool dude. I can be friends with someone and not enjoy their band, and that’s the case here. THE AFTER THE BURIAL, BORN OF OSIRIS guys, I really don’t know them. Michael Keene, EVAN BREWER, those guys in THE FACELESS, awesome dudes, but I just can’t get down with the tunes, y’know? Doesn’t make me less of a man, but more of an individual, I guess.
MA: Yeah. I noticed you guys were selling a shirt that says “Drop Acid, Not Bombs”. Is this a hint at some of the creative process behind Ecstatic Trance, since there are a lot more psychedelic influences, as you may have mentioned before?
BM: You can look at it as that. One of the main things was to explore that world of music, like psychedelic rock, I definitely think we’ve succeeded with this, and it’s definitely a great introduction to unravel into something that’s gonna be bigger in the future with our sound. With hallucinogenics, there are only two of us that sorta dabble in that, haha. I think it was more like a goof shirt. We had this ROLLING STONES rip-off tee goin’, with some dude with fucked up teeth, and we were like “We should totally put an acid tab on his fuckin’ tongue, just throw in ‘Drop Acid, Not Bombs’, it could be funny”. So we ended up doing it, and I think the design turned out pretty good. And it’s funny, the people that actually come up and buy this shirt, they’re so weird, haha. We had t-shirts of a “World Bong”, something like that, and we were on tour with NORMA JEAN. We printed the shirts on yellow, red and green, kinda like a Rastafarian, Jamaican color scheme going on. Then you had these impressionable youth, the Christian kids buying the shirts because of the colors, not necessarily knowing what was going on with it. But if it’s funny, it’s funny, it’s fun to be in a band and do shit like that. But yeah it’s more of a goof, haha.
MA: Since you guys recently replaced half the band and have been experimenting with some new sounds on your last two sounds, some fans have expressed that they’re not entirely happy with the direction you’ve taken. Do you have anything to say to them?
BM: Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. There are kids that don’t like my band now that probably really love PERIPHERY and AFTER THE BURIAL. That’s the beauty of being a person, you’re entitled to your own opinion, likes and dislikes, and shit, man, if you don’t like my band, you don’t like my band! That’s fine, just don’t base that on my character as a human being. I’m sure my conversations are ones of humour and also interest. If A Great Artist is the record you wanna hear, you can pop that on while you’re driving and punch the steering wheel. But if you’re coming to our shows, that’s what to expect: We’re gonna play what we just put out, what we believe in. An Ecstatic Trance is that record we believe in at the moment. When we go into the studio to do more things, that’s what you can expect. You’re either with us or not with us, it’s no sweat off my ass, y’know?
MA: Yeah. Going on with that previous question, do you believe you’ll ever make another album like A Great Artist or Hunter, or has the musical environment in the ALOL camp and the general Metal/Hardcore scene has changed to the point where you have to leave those concepts behind?
BM: We were never a band to repeat anything or fall into sequence, or an order when it comes to writing music and songs. We had a very large gap of aggression between A Great Artist and The Iron Gag. It’s a small gap, but there’s progression nonetheless. Once you step back and rewrite something like that it’s regressing in a way. For us to constantly evolve and grow as people, I think the only thing we can do is continue to move forward and develop on sounds that we created in records past. You may see me doing another band in the vein of the older stuff, but never in replication. I would say the likelihood is very slim at this time, haha. But you can never really rule out the elements of pure brutality and heaviness mixed in with the music.
MA: Alright, this is probably the most important question you’ll be asked within the next six months: Was math your favourite subject in high school, and if so, what type?
BM: I actually like math a lot. I like Algebra. I wasn’t a Geometry guy, but number solving, shit like that was always a big interest of mine, haha.
MA: Alright, well thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview, Mr. Meadows, and I hope you guys have much luck in your future endeavours: tours, albums, stuff like that, and I hope to see your band again, hopefully with a crowd that’s more energetic?
BM: Ah, see, that shit never really matters to me. I think that it slowly morphed from people going crazy like it was with A Great Artist and with Hunter. With Iron Gag you saw people just more there to experience the show, experience what we’re doing, and that’s actually kinda cool. It takes the Metal that we’re writing and evolves it so that you can sit back and enjoy it whether you’re a fuckin’ stoner, you’re drunk, you’re a cokehead, you’re fuckin’ trippin’ on acid, or you’re straight-edge. You can step back and watch the show, enjoy the show for what it is, and that’s the place where Doug and I are trying to take the group now, make it a live experience, not just an experience for the record.
MA: Hmm, that’s actually a pretty good way to look at it. Well, once again, thank you very much, and I wish you luck.
Sorry about that headline. I tend to get a little carried away. SUMMER SLAUGHTER to some fans of more extreme and interesting bands is THE tour of the summer this and every year. The line-ups are consistently good and the sponsors do a bang up job in my opinion. This years’ line-up does not fucking disappoint! The tour begins tonight! I’m super stoked to see EXHUMED and motherfucking GOATWHORE early in the day. You better not be late to this one folks. These guys could be doing their own headline tours or playing to thousands in Europe nightly. Call out sick from work or whatever you do with your days between shows, but get there early. Next JOB FOR A COWBOY is gonna crush it big time. Then I like how three of the modern metal bands in a row step up in VEIL OF MAYA, PERIPHERY and THE FACELESS. The new album from THE FACELESS’ is gonna drop on 8/14, right in the middle of the tour! Sick! You all better buy that shit and not download it you pack of crims. Then in the co-headliner spots you have BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME and the impeccable CANNIBAL CORPSE. A little something for the Prog nerds and the Death Metal old-schoolers. CANNIBAL is going to gut their audiences musically and I for one cannot wait because they are one of the best bands of all time live. Get your tickets now and not the day of because apparently some of the shows have been selling out. For more details check the tour Facebook page. See you there!
Few bands have come along on the metal scene that have changed the game like PERIPHERY has in the last few years. Along with ANIMALS AS LEADERS that have paved a new ground by combining progressive rock, math metal, MESHUGGAH’s patented riff style and other forms of music like jazz fusion influences to completely change the palate of what modern metal can be. Of course our denim vest clad brethren will hate this for being to “core” or melodic and whatnot. Still, it is refreshing to see the evolution of a band that is just scratching the surface of what it can do. This is likely the first of several releases by the band in the near future as they are said to be sitting on two more albums worth of material.
In many ways Periphery II features somewhat of a new band. What started out as a project in uber guitarist/producer Misha Mansoor’s bedroom has blossomed into a full, living monster of a group. In particular the additions of guitarist Mark Holcomb and Adam “Nolly” Getgood on bass/production have bore much sonic fruit on top of the impressive, layered approach the band already had with their writing. “Muramasa” crushes out of the starting blocks as the opening track. Massive guitars and drums pound you as vocalist Spencer Sotello’s melodies soar over the din. “Have A Blast” really starts to separate this album and the band from its peers. Starting off with cello and violin riff and some programed synth sounds, the track is not unlike most of the bands’ older material. Prog, djent and even some death metal blast beats rock the otherwise sunny sounding melodic track. Sotello’s amazing tenor voice glides into the upper registers easily and his screams are often terrifying. What really sets this song apart is following the breakdown is a stupendous solo from shredder supreme GUTHRIE GOVAN. If you don’t know his name, go YouTube one of his videos and pick your jaw off the floor later. “Facepalm Mute” leans heavier on the death vocals and bruising riffs which will interest heavier music fans. Songs like “Ji” and “Scarlet” will have you smiling from ear to ear and are pretty up-tempo ragers. There are many bands with three guitar attacks, but few have the thoughtful writing for three voices like Mansoor, Holcomb and mainstay Jake Bowen. “Luck As a Constant” features more insane beats from Matt Halpern, who lays down a phenomenal performance overall. “Make Total Destroy” is the single and is as heavy as it is harsh. The small section of death metal people who enjoy this song will gravitate to this track in particular. “Erised” has a guest appearance by DREAM THEATER’s JOHN PETRUCCI uniting these modern prog heads with the last generation of prog metal’s heroes. Another great guest appearance is made by Wes Hauch, recent addition to label-mates THE FACELESS. This another, mostly brutal track with fantastic thematic motifs, twist and turns. Sotello again joins the upper echelon of vocalists of the sub-genre like TOMMY RODGERS, Rody Walker and ex-TESSERACT singer Elliott Coleman. Other top tracks include “Ragnarok” and “Masamune”.
I am fairly certain that about 70% of my reviews this year have been from super-groups. Some of them were in face super and some were okay. Some were not. Tossing their hat in the ring like The Avengers is BEREFT who’s members certainly live up to the superlatives part, at least on paper. Sacha Dunable (INTRONAUT/GRAVITON), Derek Donley (NATION SUNDAY LAW/GRAVITON), Charles Elliott (ABYSMAL DAWN) and Derek Rydquist (ex-THE FACELESS) have come together to make a unique concept record to say the least. This impactful, experimental Los Angeles-based doom project is all about two different ancient death rituals. It turns out the music is as heavy as the subject matter.
With sounds rising from the hum of guitars and amps to the roaring first droning notes of “Corpse Flower”, this album is going to be a different listening experience to be sure. Feedback flows in like a police siren while harsh, slow riffs mete out their punishment. Donley’s powerful drumming call to mind the funerary rites of a lost world and he is more subtle and sneak than you average skins masher today. The opening dirge gives way to second track “The Mentality of the Inanimate”. There are some otherworldly deep growls from Elliott who handles most of the lead vocals on the album with strong contributions from the rest of the band. The BLACK SABBATH influence is apparent, but there are some other little twists and turns in the music as well. “Withered Efflorescence” continues the theme of grave matters and dire music to match. There isn’t much variation from song to song, but I think that was the purpose of the album actually. Patience is the key for this band. On this cut there are some cool gang vocals with different styled voices (Dunable and Rydquist?) that really add to the track. Rydquist is solid as the bassist as well. There are some interesting guitar motifs that come in and out of the track too. These part extend these six and seven minutes songs into epic feeling songs. “The Coldest Orchestra” has some psychedelic sounds in the opening before returning to the harshness and sludge of the other tracks. This track has a bit of a Buzz Osbourne of THE MELVINS quality to it that I rather enjoyed. “A Cruel Mirage” is full of weirdness and just gnarly low vocals. “Ethereal Dispersal” is the most interesting track on the album in that it breaks up the monotony a bit with some interesting acoustic guitars. It still has a heft to it and some cool backing drone/delay guitars as well. Then it shifts NEUROSIS style into more dynamic crushing riffs and slow waves of beats. The closing cut, 0“…And You are But a Thought” is pretty trippy too. If you are not into doom, sludge and more out-of-the-box type albums, this is likely not music you will run too. On the other hand, I think loyal fans of the sub-genre will find a lot of cool sounds and songs to latch on to.
Randy Rhoads whose knack for melodic song writing and stunning neo-classical lead guitar style revolutionized metal in 1980′s died tragically thirty years ago today. Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) died in a plane crash while on tour with OZZY OSBOURNE, but he has left an indelible mark on generations of musicians to follow.
Rhoads who had been an early member of QUIET RIOT shot to fame when he auditioned for the guitar spot in OZZY OSBOURNE’s band THE BILZZARD OF OZZ. The combination of the soft spoken, but immensely talented Rhoads and Ozzy who felt he had to prove himself to the world after his dismissal from BLACK SABBATH was potent and changed the face of music. Rhoads is always remembered as a terrific lead guitarist and was often compared to the best players of his day like EDDIE VAN HALEN. However, equally important as Randy’s impact as a soloist was his legacy as a songwriter, his use of classical modes and his widespread use of major scales in rock and metal that had predominantly been full of brooding minor keys and old-style pentatonic blues riffs up until that point. He also helped innovate an popularize several styles and looks of guitars with his polka-dot Jackson Flying V’s. Although he is best remembered for songs like OZZY hits “Crazy Train”, “Mr. Crowley” “Suicide Solution”, “Over The Mountain” and “Flying High Again” most of his output, however brief is excellent and worthy of repeat listens.
Turn this record up loud for full enjoyment!
Popular guitar players who have been influenced by Rhoads such as the late DIMEBAG DARRELL, ZAKK WYLDE, Phil Demmel of MACHINE HEAD and a host of metal lead players from the 80′s and 90′s used to and still do sing his praises. Although his music is among some of the most popular in the genre, you can still hear examples of his reach in many modern bands like ARCH ENEMY, REVOCATION, ANIMALS AS LEADERS, MASTODON, OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, JOB FOR A COWBOY, THE AGONIST, CHILDREN OF BODOM, WARBRINGER, ICED EARTH, DECAPITATED, ALL SHALL PERISH and THE FACELESS among many, many others.
As you can tell by the picture above, BEREFT carries some heavyweight members. Featuring Derek Rydquist (ex-The Faceless), Sacha Dunable (Intronaut), Charles Elliott (Abysmal Dawn) and Derek Donley (Graviton), BEREFT will immediately get labeled as a super group. They are mighty and evil doom with tons of different vocal approaches. It’s slow and depressing while still having some progressive moments that pay tribute to the other bands these guys are in.
Metal Army caught up with bassist extraordinaire Evan Brewer during his stint opening for ANIMALS AS LEADERS this summer. He chatted briefly about his solo album, his background as a player and his new role playing with THE FACELESS.
MAA: What was your motivation behind making an album like Alone (Summerian)?
EB: My motivation was really just to share with other people what I’ve been doing for years. I’ve been doing things of that nature since I’ve pretty much started playing so, I just wanted to let people hear it.
MAA: I think this is a great time for musicianship in metal. Why do you think there are so many baddass players and bands out there like you have on this tour?
EB: You know, I don’t really know. All I know is I’ve seen the trend happen through out time where musicianship seems to go in cycles of levels of appreciation. I’m happy to be a part of it right now. It seems to be a good time to be doing what I’m doing, so that’s a good thing.
MAA: How long were you working on the songs for and how much spontaneity do you rely on in the studio?
EB: Really besides that last song on the album, all the other stuff was pretty much written for the album. I think the writing and recording process was about six months and it went kind of simultaneously. I definitely work inside a recording platform, you know. I found that to be the most effective way.
Evan Brewer live at Northern Lights, Albany NY 7/20/2011.
MAA: Please talk about your history in relation to bass guitar.
EB: Yeah, I’ve been playing bass for about 16 years. I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee where there was just really a lot of fantastic musicians. So it wasn’t hard to be inspired. Started playing in metal bands at a young age, toured with a band called REFLUX, toured with a band called ANIMOSITY. Did fill in work for a slew of other bands. I’m in THE FACELESS now, you know just kinda one step to another, just evolved.
MAA: What is your live rig like and how many basses do you bring out on the road?
EB: I’m not using anything that out there, in terms of custom instruments or anything like that really. You know I just put a video up on You Tube actually last night that shows all the gear, so if you wanna link that, add that in.
MAA: Name you top five personal bassists.
EB: All around, I mean I like different guys for different reasons, but all around I’ve probably taken the most from the Wootens. Victor Wooten, Regi Wooten. I don’t really have a single favorite bass player, although I appreciate all kinds of bass players from different genres and varying levels of show-off-ness. Some of my favorite bass players are just very conservative and play the right bass line for the tune.
MAA: How will you fit what you do into what THE FACELESS does?
EB: Well Brandon (Giffen), the original THE FACELESS bassist is a fantastic bass player. He’s a great friend of mine. The music already had ambitious bass lines, you know. So for the old stuff I try to swing it like him and add a little bit of my flavor because I really like the bass lines he wrote. They weren’t far from what I would have written. For the new stuff we’re gonna incorporate a little bit more the percussive stuff I do. I’ll be doing some tapping parts, but I’m not gonna stray that far from what the bass approach has always been. I feel like it’s the right approach. I’ll be playing backbone bass and laying it down a lot of the times as well, so you get a mix.
(Special thanks to Evan Brewer, Summerian Records and Danny Graf.)
Many musicians discover something inspirational about music, hone their craft at their instrument of choice, form a band and then fail to create anything more than a facsimile of what they liked in the first place. Others like the members of all instrumental band ANIMALS AS LEADERS are consciously changing the face of music without even honestly trying all that hard. They may not have always been on this path, but many are grateful that this band seeks artistic fulfillment on a higher level and purpose than most. Oddly enough by being unconventional they have gained mass appeal. They are poised for even bigger things with their new album soon to drop on Prosthetic records. Since this show was coming nowhere near me in Boston, I hoofed it out to Clifton Park, NY to meet some of my best buddies and enjoy a great night at Northern Lights.
Evan Brewer lays it down in his solo opening set.
EVAN BREWER opened the show tonight a solo act. For those not in the know Evan is a bassist extraordinaire who used to slam the four strings for tech death metallers ANIMOSITY and metalcore act REFLUX with the guys in AAL). Having just released his excellent solo bass CD, Alone (Sumerian Records) he played a set made of up of these tracks. Displaying astounding technique and a deft sense of touch and timing, there really isn’t anything he cannot do on the instrument. Whether be the titan manic thumb slapping of “Actualize” or “Contraband” or the insane arpeggiated chord voicings of the mellow and jazzy “Currency” Brewer delighted the early crowd at the venue. Meanwhile he sat there casually without breaking so much as a sweat. Other incredible cuts he played were “Degenerate” and the futuristic sounding “Vertigo”. He closed up shop with the jazzy funk R&B of “A Climate for Change”. Then he hung out the rest of the night by his merch table and chatted with fans while strumming another of his ESP basses. I’m looking forward to hearing what magic Evan weaves into the new album by THE FACELESS of whom is is now a member.
LAST CHANCE TO REASON: surprising and talented!
Filling in the middle slots tonight were sets from LAST CHANCE TO REASON AND DEAD LETTER CIRCUS. Both bands had a lot to offer before the headliners took their turn. For some reason unbeknownst to me I had slept on Augusta Maine’s LAST CHANCE TO REASON’s Level 2 album until right before the show when I jammed it out as a refresher. The band surprised me right out of the gate with their blend of tech death, thrash and prog metal. In particular, vocalist Mike Lessard was really outstanding with his shrieking highs, low growls and nuanced melodies. He also did a great job of amping up the crowd which I liked. The rest of the band kept it proggy and interesting on songs like “Coded To Fail”, “Temp Files” and “The Prototype”. I dug em as did the crowd and I think I shall revisit this band again and catch them next time they tour. As for Brisbane, Australia’s DEAD LETTER CIRCUS, their singer Kim Benzie told me he was worried they were the “odd band out” on this tour. He may have been referring to the band’s brand of active rock with a hint of prog metal touches as being left field on a tour of adventurous, heady metal artists. Still, the band played the heart out and perhaps due to the open minded crowd in the house, they went over very well. Benzie’s high range singing vocals call to mind CHRIS CORNELL or even TOOL and the bands music is heavy and pretty catchy as well. They put on a fine show collectively and given the right audience I could see them getting very big here in the states.
INTRONAUT continue to light it up in a live setting.
In the penultimate slot tonight was INTRONAUT, and I won’t even front how much of a huge fan I am of theirs. I have seen them every chance I’ve had the last few years and I continue to bump tracks from last year’s Valley of Smoke (Century Media) on the regular. They continue to be one of the leading bands of today melding metal and prog with other jazz and other influences. In a support role tonight, they played a short and tight set of songs and also had many heads in the house. Opening with the excellent “Elegy” they really set it off. Sacha Dunable (GRAVITON) and Dave Timnick twin vocal/guitar assault is always on point as they lead the way. Danny Walker (EXUMED/MURDER CONSTRUCT) just kills behind the kit creating the necessary ebb and flow the band lives on. “Elegy” and out and out crusher until the jazz inflected breakdown. Led by master bassist Joe Lester (MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT), the track shifts tempos and emotions sending the song and the crow into a hypnotic state. “Vernon” which was the bonus track on VoS was a surprising and happy inclusion in the set. Obtuse and heavy in the best form of the band, the song is a straight up metal as the band can get without changing who they are. Walker again is a tornado of poly rhythms and double kick smoothness. The classic “The Literal Black Cloud” came next with a dirge like groove that had everybody in the place off their feet jumping. “Core Relations” followed and is another mini-epic of a song. With its varied time signature changes and chiming jazz guitars the cut has all of the elements that make the band great coming to the fore ground. Last song of their set “Australopithecus” is another of the bands finest work and perhaps Lester’s singular best bass performance. Although I missed not hearing some of my other my favorite songs such as “Any Port” due to the shortened set, I’ll be sure to catch their next US headline tour, possibly when a their next album comes out later in 2012.
Set List:
Elegy
Vernon
The Literal Black Cloud
Core Relations
Australopithecus
The with the stage reset for the headline act the crowd anxiously filled in the front area of the expansive club. Two video screens flanked the drum kit and you felt like the sparse staging would do well to compliment the music. When the video screen flickered on in a light mist of smoke depicting the art work from AAL’s self titled 2010 album, a cheer went up. As the lights went down the band took the stage one at a time to a loud cheer for each member joining the fold. Naturally Tosin Abasi (REFLUX/T.R.A.M.) came on last, to the loudest cheer of all.
ANIMALS AS LEADERS: pushing boundaries, spiraling outward.
Starting off with the gentle video game theme-esque opener “Point to Point”the band showed their maturity not needing to go full throttle to begin the set. Tonight’s show would be an exercise in patience, talent and grace about all. “Wave of Babies” came next and now the fully charged, visceral sound of the band was unleashed. Abasi and his partner in crime Javier Reyes mainly play their custom 8-string guitars (although Abasi also has some cool 7-String models too) and need no bassist to cover their adventurous parts. I suppose it is the the low-end sound of MESSHUGAH inspired chord figures that makes this music possible and birthed the sub-genre’s catch-all name “djent” (which for the record, I’m not fond of the term). “Waves…” is a killer track encompassing everything the band does well: great riffs and licks, fluid leads, fine composition styles and cool beats. Abasi takes an amazing couple of solo runs in the song. The video images mathced the musical intensity and were quite trippy in their presentation. “Song of Solomon” followed and the manic rhythms of the song pushed the music into mental overdrive. It was cool to see the same guitar geeks who were throwing their jazz fingers in the air earlier in the set now trying to mosh awkwardly to the riffs. Drummer Navene Koperweis likely gets the least amount of ink in the band due to the popularity of its leader (pun intended), but he is a serious baddass. Clearly he is one of the best drummers in the modern music today with his deft touch and pounding rhythms being the core of the AAL sound in many cases. Abasi address the crowd at this point welcoming everybody and appreciating all the love in the room. It is rare to see such a level humility and cool from a guy who is a scene darling and a hero to many at this moment in time. He also announced they were filming for a DVD to accompany their next CD and from this point on the camera guy was on stage as much as the band was. “Tempting Time” was next and pretty much everyone in the place went apeshit together just then. The song is a musical beast to be sure, but even when the group goes all out hard there is a lot of textural parts going on an little bits of eargasm inducing hidden parts. As the band took a break for a few minutes Javier Reyes took a solo flight for a few minutes. Again the guy is no slouch and is a master in his own right, deserving every bit of praise as Abasi. The rest of the band came back on for a run through of a brand new song that sounded great. If this track is any indication the band continues to grow and break new ground. “On Impulse” was next. Of all of their music this to me sounds like a song that a vocalist could be made room for since it is the most standard track (verse-chorus-verse-ish) the band has. The light jazz chord voicings give way to chunky riffs and hard hitting interplay between all three members. As the set began to wind down Reyes and Koperwies had a chance to chill out while Abasi played a sweet solo spot. There is no denying what the guy can do with a guitar, but I still think of him as a great songwriter first because if he was just a walking bag of the latest guitar tricks a) he’d be a robot and b) he’d be a lot less interesting. Luckily he is neither of those things. Saving their best and most “djent” (there’s that pesky word again) tracks of the night for last they closed with “Thoroughly At Home” and “CAFO”. “CAFO” in particular is amazing and features another ripping solo from Tosin. In this group you might glimpse the future of music where how hard you can sound and mean a breakdown you can craft is replaced tempered by musical ingenuity and high minded ideals. Let’s hope it keeps going that way.
We are truly in a throwback age of music right now. With exception of my early childhood I can’t recall when there were so many outstanding players in metal bands and other bands too. All instruments and all styles are represented with many young players aspiring to greatness. It’s true; there have always been upper echelon individual players in bands. As a bassist since age fifteen, I myself have often marveled at the technical ability and range of emotions players have been able to evoke from the low end of the sonic spectrum. However, I assert that perhaps in part to the digital age and the prevalence of learning materials, music schools and better gear standout players are popping up left and right like never before. Once such newly crowned star is bassist extroidinere Evan Brewer. Brewer has become a YouTube sensation with his amazing videos of his playing both live and in the studio. He used to slam for tech death champs ANIMOSITY and is now a member of THE FACELESS. His just released all instrumental bass album would not be out of place for a jazz player (which he is also, but not strictly) and is a relatively new endeavor for someone with a mainly metal pedigree.
For starters this is not a metal album or showcase at all. Brewer definitely gets his fill from that arena from his day job. The album is called Alone because it is just Brewer and his basses and no other instrumentation. He lays down track after track of sweet low megahertz tones. First up to the plate is “Actualize”, an up-tempo thumb-slapping, string-popping work out full of bright tones and odd modal inflections. “Contraband” starts off with a chaotic series of riffs that would be great in a metal song. The track also has some subtle harmonics to go with the foreboding assault of notes. Halfway through it swaps out to a traditional modern jazz piece. “Currency” is a somber piece with neat chromatic runs and a tinge of Latin Jazz soul hidden inside. The ending arpeggiated runs are just breathtaking to listen to. “Altered Perspective I” and “Altered Perspective II” are alternately gentle and intense. Full of wonderful melodies and Brewer’s smooth note placement. He plays with some choice effects here for a sense of whimsy. “Vertigo” sounds like its name, just dizzying. There is some ridiculous funkery going on here as well as some futuristic sound effects and what sounds like a track of a bass using backwards recording the entire way through. I think my favorite track is the final one, the old-school R&B by way of smooth jazz sounding “A Climate For Change”. Brewer proves there is nothing beyond his scope on the bass guitar and I am excited to see him on tour this summer as a solo opening act for ANIMALS AS LEADERS. In a way this album is not just a testament to Brewer’s prodigious abilities, but a high water mark for bassists everywhere.
